A communication gap between the authorities and the candidates triggered off trouble at the Geological Survey of India’s (GSI) eastern region office in Salt Lake on Saturday. Several thousand people agitated in front of the GD block office when candidates — a large number of them from the districts — turned up to find their job interview cancelled.

Interviews for the recruitment of GSI’s Group-C and D staff were scheduled for August 23 and 24 between 10 am and 3 pm. Candidates who turned up for the interview on Saturday, however, found a notice announcing that it had been deferred.

Irked by the news, the candidates demanded to know why the interview had been cancelled. Tension mounted when the agitators increased in numbers and damaged some vehicles parked in front of the office, a police officer said.

“More than 7,000 people, comprising candidates and their guardians, had gathered at the office complex,” said inspector-in-charge of Bidhannagar (East) police station Somnath Chakraborty. Those from far-flung districts were the worst-hit. “We came to Calcutta on Friday night, only for the interview. It is very frustrating,” said one of the candidates, preferring anonymity.

“These candidates must have missed our notices announcing the deferment of the interviews in newspapers and the electronic media,” said GSI director-general Prayag Mondal.

According to GSI officials, the interview was cancelled as it had been planned without receiving the clearance from the Union ministry of mines. A clearance from the ministry concerned is required to hold interviews for recruitment, said Mondal.

“We always follow this norm and had requested for a clearance this time, too. But it did not come through. A few days ago, we received a letter from the ministry directing us not to conduct the interviews,” he added.

Road mishap

A 26-year-old motorcyclist died on Saturday after he collided with a bus on route 1A in front of National Library. The youth, yet to be identified, was declared dead at SSKM Hospital, police said. The bus was impounded, but the driver fled.

Governor oath: Arvind Dave took oath of office as governor of West Bengal on Saturday, in the absence of Viren J. Shah.